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Edmonton Oilers @ Chicago Blackhawks
6PM Central/5PM Mountain
United Center, Chicago
SportsNet West, CSN Chicago/WGN Radio



THE BUZZ

So what now?

The "streak" is over, as is the Myth of Hawk Invincibility. But the Hawks remain a very good hockey team, albeit a little battered and bruised, physically and psychologically. And the key to overcoming the latter is to go out tonight and play the game that got the streak started in the first place: energy, defense over 200 feet of ice, all four lines contributing.

And before there's talk of a new streak, the Hawks just need to go out and win one. And then focus on the next game after that.

But don't look now, another team with superior special teams is on the schedule, as the Hawks well now after their last game against the Oilers. Fortunately, the Oilers are a worse team on faceoffs.


PROJECTED LINEUPS


EDMONTON

TAYLOR HALL JORDAN EBERLE RYAN NUGENTHOPKINS
MAGNUS PAAJARVI SAM GAGNER NAIL YAKUPOV
RYAN JONES ERIC BELANGER LENNART PETRELL
RYAN SMYTH MIKE BROWN BEN EAGER

JEFF PETRY LADISLAV SMID
RYAN WHITNEY THEO PECKHAM
NICK SCHULTZ JUSTIN SCHULTZ

DEVAN DUBNYK


CHICAGO

BRANDON SAAD JONATHAN TOEWS MARIAN HOSSA
BRYAN BICKELL DAVE BOLLAND PATRICK KANE
DAN CARCILLO ANDREW SHAW VIKTOR STALBERG
MARCUS KRUGER JAMAL MAYERS MICHAL FROLIK

COREY CRAWFORD



STATS

5 ON 5 GOAL DIFFERENTIAL
Edmonton, 30th
Chicago, 1st

POWER PLAY
Edmonton, 7th
Chicago, 14th

PENALTY KILL
Edmonton, 9th
Chicago, 4th

FACEOFF %
Edmonton, 29th
Chicago, 21st

BLOCKED SHOTS
Edmonton, 5th
Chicago, 13th

TAKEAWAYS
Edmonton, 18th
Chicago, 1st




All for now,


JJ

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